Automatic vehicle-operated gate



J. R. ROLLMAN. AUTOMATIC VEHICLE OPERATED GATE.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I Jan. 2, 1923.

Fl LED AUG. 9 i921 Patented lain 2, i923.

.TOSLSLH R. ROLLMAN, OF ENCAMPlVIENT, lYlvING.

AUTOMATIC VEHICLE-OPERATED GATE.

.Application filed August 9, 1921. Serial No. 490,970.

The present invention relates to improve ments in automatic vehicleoperated gates and has for its object to provide a simple structure ofthis type having novel means ifor retaining the gates normally closedand "for automatically returning them to such position following theoperation thereof.

Vlie invention is designed with as 'few a number of parts as i'practicable to insure against the mechanism becoming disordered in use,and to maintain the cost oit manufacturing at a minimum 'for this typeoit construction.

"llliese and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attainedby the novel construction., combination and arrangement of parts to behereinafter specifically described and claimed.

Reference will now paiiying drawings forming a speciication, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a gate construction of the typecomprehended by this invention. I

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional yiew showing in dotted lines the openposition oi the gate and the operated position of the vehicle-operatingbar and a spring means for actuating the bar to automatically close thegate. i

Figure 3 is a sectional view longitudinally be had to the accompart oithis lot the gate construction and showing in detail the operativeconnections between the vehicle operative bar and vthe gate members.Figure 4- is a detail view of the means for automatically closing thegate ot the preferred co struction.

Figure 5 is a sectional. view 'i-- of Figure 4.

igure 6 is a detail view partly iii section oi the auxiliary springmeans, designed to be used in this construction assisting in clos ingthe gates. A

Throughout, the 'following detailed description and on the severalioures of the drawing7 similar parts are re erred to by like referenceycharacters. y

.Referring to the drawings, A and B des on the line vehicle operated barignate a pair of swinging gates suspended across a roadway at each sideof which is a supporting post l, rl`he gates may be kof any desiredconstruction, trated comprise metallic trame members, the end bar memberoi? each gate being pivotally mounted in the brackets 2 on the innerface oit the gate post vand having rthe said but as herein illus? G0 endbar extended a suitable distance at its .lower end to receive a gearmember 3. At

the inner or meeting end ot the gate the trainers bent as yindicated atLi so as to acn ycommodate the operating means ior the gate Attached tothe top hereinafter described. of each gate and adjacent the pivot endthereof is a longitudinally extending arm which projects over the gatepost l and has suspended therefrom by meansoil a rope (3 a heavy weight7.

in Figure 1l; the rope 6 passes through the lswiveled eye orgui'de 8mounted upon a `bracket 9 attached tothe outer 'tace oi the gate post.Thus when the gate is swung around upon its carry the weight out ot itsvertical position, but being restrained. from such movement by the guideeye 8, the weight is drawn up` wardly and places the gate under tension'so As shown most clearly pivot the arm tends to that when thegate-actuating means is released the weight will tend to gravitate toits lower position and this actionr automatically closes the gate.

Centrally oi the roadway is arranged a ot which are suitablyinclined orbeveled so that when vehicle approaches the roadway this bar will rideunderlthe axles of the vehicle. The bark -is supported a` suitable 9 the`opposite ends 10 90 distance trom the surface ot the yroadway by meansof vthe arms ll whichr are pivoted at their lower ends to the bearingmembers l2 secured in the base oit a depression 13 Aand which*k are attheir upper ends mounted The upper in bearing plates or ears lll.bearing i'i'iembers 1.4; `are son'iewhat deeper than the correspondinglower bearing membersin order to take care oit thc variations indepression of the bar by vehicles having varying clearance beneath theaxle.

The bai is provided with third supporting arm l5 arranged centrally andconnected the same manner to suitable bearings. it

iii each side of this central arm, however, is

disposed an arcuate shaped guide rod 16 hav- 110 ing a 'base plate 17 bymeans of which said rod is secured to the base ot the depression lo, thetwo rods 15 when inoperative rela.- tion torming substantially asemi-circle. rllio army 15 is provided with a guide opening to receivethe rods 16 and this guide means Lgreatly strengthens the operating bar9 against lateral. stresses incident. to its operation by vehicles. Theguide members 16 in addition to their guiding `Vfunction may havedisposed thereupon coil spring` 18, one arranged at each side ot' thearm 15, which springs will place the bar 19 under tension when the. armis moved in either direction, tending` to restore itto its normalelevated position, and it should le understood that this spring;arrangement be employed kin conjunction with the weight device T, oneactingauxiliary to the other, or l contemplate that the weight devicemay be used without the spring arrangementjust referred to.

The central arm liis tixed to a shaft 19 which at its opposite endscarries a bevel gear member 20, said gears meshing with the respectivegears 3 upon the end gate bars ot the gates A and B thus operativelyconnecting' the vehicle operated member or bar 9 with the. gate members.

rlhe operation of the gate will be clear from the foregoing' but may bebriefly sum marized as follows: ll pon approaching the gateway theforward vehicle axle will come into conta-ct with the inclined tace 10ot' the bar 9 and will ride upon t ie upper surface ot said bar causing`it to be depressed into a dotted line position shown in Figure 2, whichactuation will cause the shaft 19 to be rotated and in turn the swung'upon their pivots to open position also as shown in Figure 2. Thismovement of the `gates, as hereinbetore described, will tend to shiftthe weight members 7 from the vertical plane occupied thereby as shownin Figure 1, and will place the gates under tension. Or such depressionwill compress one ot the springs 18 and place the arm 15 under tension.rlhe bar 9 is suiliciently long` to remain depressed by fio-action withthe forward and rear axles of the vehicle until such vehicle has enteredf within the gates and cleared the same, whereupon the bar 9 will resumeits elevated position accompanied by the automatic closing` ot' thegates. Obviously the gates open m f I claim as new and Manlio oppositedirections according to the direc.. tion in which the bar 9 is shiftedby the vehicle.

A simple and sturdy construction ot lgate or lgates .is provided by anarrangement such as hereinbetore described, and owing` to the lew partswhich are employed the mechanisrn will bemore or less tree from becomingaccidentally disordered. Vfhenever it is necessary to replace any of theparts they are easilyaccessible. For example, in replacing` the springs18 it is only necessary to loosen up the bolts 17 sutliciently to enableone of the arcuate members 16 to be shifted slightly away from the arm,whereupon the springmay be replaced.

llaving thus described my invention, what desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. In an automatic gate opening` means, the combination with a gate, avehicle operated bar arranged in the roadway and eX- tendingtransversely of the position assumed by the lgate when in a closedposition, pivotally mounted arms for normally supporting the bar in anelevated position, the ends ot' the bar being beveled for engagementwith the axle of an approaching vehicle, an operative connection betweenthe bar and the gate tor automatically opening` the gate when the bar isswung downwardly, guide means for the bar, and a spring mounted upon theguide means and cooperating` with the bar tor automatically closing thegate after operation thereot' by the bar.

2. ln a gate device of the class described, a. pair ot swinging gates, avehicle operated bar arranged in the roadway centrally ot the gates andtransversely thereto, pivotally mounted arms for supporting the barelevated from the surface of the roadway, arcuate guide means co-actingwith one of said arms, actuating means connected with the gates forautomatically closingthe saine, operative connections between the gatesand the vehicle operated bar, and lmeans auxiliary to the actuatingmeans and' coacting with' the guide means tor the bar tending' toautomatically close the said gates after operation by the bar.

In testimony whereof l aliiX my signature.

' JOSIAH R. RGLLMAN.

